Modular plugs are well known in the prior art, such as RJ-11 type plugs and RJ45 type plugs. In connecting a telephone, computer modem, or other device requiring hard wiring to a telephone network, a multi-conductor wire having a modular plug at each end is provided, wherein one modular plug is inserted into a modular jack provided in the device (typically in the rear of the device), and the other modular plug is inserted into a modular jack (typically wall-mounted) which is part of the network. Typically, such wires are sold with a fixed length with the modular plugs being connected thereto, generally by crimping. For example, common wire lengths are three feet, six feet, nine feet and twelve feet.
Although fixed-length wires are widely used, the wires do have some shortcomings. In particular, a device may be located a distance from a network modular jack which is slightly greater than one length of wire, but considerably less than the next length of wire. For example, a device may have a modular jack which is located 6.1 feet from a network modular jack, where the device is, as a practical matter, immovable. As is readily apparent, a six-foot wire is insufficient to service this application, whereas, the next length of wire (nine-foot), although usable, defines slack which must be bundled, or somehow, accounted for. Excess wiring, including excessively slack wiring, is undesired in view of the clutter already present behind many devices, especially modem devices. Additionally, upon occasion, fixed-length prior art wires are too short to service an application.
To overcome some of the problems with the prior art, methods have been developed to splice two or more cut wires to form a wire of desired length. Splicing is often achieved by crimping which requires special crimping tools. Also, custom-length wires have been formed which are cut to the desired length and the modular plugs are crimped thereto.